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Prashanth
Prashanth at the audio launch of Saagasam
Born	Prashanth Thiagarajan (1973-04-06) 6 April 1973 (age 45)[1] Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Prince of Love, Top Star
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1990–2006, 2011-present
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[2]
Spouse(s)	Grahalakshmi (m.2005-2009)[3]
Children	1
Relatives	Thiagarajan (father) Shanthi Thiagarajan (mother) Preethi (Sister) Peketi Sivaram (grandfather)[4]

Prashanth (born on 6 April 1973) is an Indian film actor known for his works predominantly in Tamil cinema. He has also appeared in few Telugu, Hindi and Malayalam films. He is called as (Top Star, Prince of Love) in Tamil cinema.^[5]
The son of actor-director Thiagarajan, Prashanth began his career at 17 by appearing in Vaigasi Poranthachu (1990) and went on to feature in other films including Ajayan's
Perumthachan (1991), Balu Mahendra's Vanna Vanna Pookkal (1992), R. K. Selvamani's Chembaruthi (1992) and Mani Ratnam's action-comedy Thiruda Thiruda (1993).

Prashanth rose to stardom with Shankar's blockbuster romantic comedy Jeans (1998) in which he played a dual role alongside Aishwarya Rai. The success of the film saw him garner opportunities to work in bigger film projects and in the late 1990s, he featured in a series of profitable films such as Kannedhirey Thondrinal (1998), Kaadhal Kavithai (1998) and Jodi (1999). By the 2000s, he had been successful in films such as Parthen Rasithen (2000), Piriyadha Varam Vendum (2001), Chocolate (2001), Majunu (2001), Thamizh (2002), Virumbugiren (2002), Winner (2003) and Shock (2004).

Early life

Prashanth was born on 6 April 1973 in Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. He is the son of actor Thiagarajan and director in Tamil films while his maternal grandfather, Peketi Sivaram, was an actor and an acclaimed director of Telugu, Tamil and Kannada films. He studied Computer Graphics and Multimedia and went to Trinity College of Music in London before embarking on an acting career. He completed his 12th grade and was enlisted in two medical colleges. His first intention was to be a doctor, but finally he decided to be an actor, like his father T. Thiagarajan, also producer and film director.

He has a sister, Preeti. He studied in Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School, in Chetpet.^[6]Prashanth married Grahalakshmi, the daughter of a Chennai industrialist, on September 1, 2005. The couple divorced three years later.^[7]
Prashanth owns a multi-storeyed jewellery mart in Panagal Park.^[8]

Acting career

1990-1997: Early career

Prashanth started off as a leading romantic hero in the 1990 film, Vaigasi Poranthachu. He then appeared in the Malayalam film Perumthachan written by M. T. Vasudevan Nair where he played the son of the title character. This film won Filmfare Award for Best Film - Malayalam. In 1992, he acted in the film Vanna Vanna Pookkal. The film is produced by S. Thanu and directed by Balu Mahendra. It was a success and won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil. Later he plays in the movie Chembaruthi (1992), directed by R. K. Selvamani and starring Roja. The movie was a Hit and was remade in Hindi as Aao Pyar Karen (1994). Unakkaga Piranthen, a romance film was released on May 1992. He acted in Telugu - Hindi bilingual romance film Prema Shikharam directed by Satya Gopal Ram. It was released in Hindi as Anokha Premyudh in 1994.^[9] The film was also dubbed in Tamil as Rojakkal Unakkaga.^[10] He plays in several films that have not been successful as I Love You (1992), Lathi (1992) and Enga Thambi (1993). Tholi Muddhu (1993) alongside Divya Bharti, which was the remake of the Bollywood film Dil (1990).

Prashanth focuses on Tamil and acted in Thiruda Thiruda (1993) directed by Mani Ratnam and music by A. R. Rahman. Prasanth used to be the chocolate boy of Tamil cinema during the 1990s and he plays a variation of that stereotype in portraying Azhagu. This is the most adventurous of Mani Ratnam’s movies.^[11] The film opened to positive reviews and was declared a Blockbuster. The film also won National Film Award for Best Special Effects. At the end of the year, he play in the film Kizhakke Varum Paattu (1993). In 1994, he released three films like Rasa Magan, Kanmani and Senthamizh Selvan. These films had an average success. Aanazhagan (1995), his only movie of the year was directed by Prashanth’s father and actor Thiagarajan. In the film, Prashanth disguises himself as a woman in order convince the landlady. The film revolves around Prashanth and his friends who search for a new house after being kicked out from the previous place. Prashanth is forced to dress in the drag after the landlady insists that the house only for a family man and not bachelors. Aanazhagan was very successful at the box-office. The comedy tracks are still remembered today, and a stellar performance of Prashanth as Lakshmi.^[12] In 1996, he co-starred in Kalloori Vaasal with Ajith Kumar. The film opened on 18 February 1996 to mixed reviews. Krishna (1996) and Mannava (1997) are two medium success films.

1998-2006: Success

Prashanth appeared in dual roles in the 1998 film, Jeans under the direction of S. Shankar. It was quite the commercial enterprise. It featured Aishwarya Rai as lead actress. The role of the male lead was declined by Abbas and Ajith Kumar, before it went to another chocolate boy hero, Prashanth. The film was a modern day Twelfth Night adaptation.^[13] The film has been nominated several awards in the country. The film opened to Indian audiences on 24 April 1998 and was the most expensive film to be made in Indian cinema at that time. Jeans has been shot all over the world. And one particular song, says Shankar, has been filmed at the "seven wonders of the world", or rather, seven historic spots across the globe.^[14] It was later dubbed into Hindi and Telegu languages.^[15][16] He acted two other films as Kannedhirey Thondrinal (1998) and Kaadhal Kavithai (1998), two romantic 'super Hit' movies. In 1999, he acted in romantic family dramas movies like Poomagal Oorvalam, Jodi, Hello and Aasaiyil Oru Kaditham. In 2000, his films are Good Luck, Appu, and Parthen Rasithen. He began the project Piriyadha Varam Vendum (2001) directed by Kamal which had a delayed release but was a success. He followed this with Star (2001), a action film Chocolate (2001), a romantic drama and Majunu (2001), a romantic thriller film.

In the mid 2000s, Prashanth signed for several projects which were shelved after being launched.^[17] In September 2004, Thiagarajan launched Police, a remake of the Hindi film Khakee and the film received coverage from the media after producers had approached Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai for key roles. In interviews during the period, Thiagarajan mentioned the grand scale of the project citing that the film would also be shot abroad; however the film failed to progress.^[18] He appeared in director Hari 's debut film Thamizh (2002). Prashanth is convincing as the innocent young man dragged into gang wars. Thamizh stands out in comparison to films of the same genre in Tamil, with the help of Prashanth who has come out with a steel strong performance. The film was a Super Hit.^[19]Susi Ganeshan' s Blockbuster film, Virumbugiren also had a delayed release.^[20]The film won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Film. Sundar C' s comedy film, Winner released on 27 September 2003 was successful at the box office.^[21] In 2004, He acted in action film, Jai, The film was marked by the comeback of his father Thiagarajan after 13 years in Tamil cinema. The film is released on January to negative reviews. Shock (2004), a other genre of film in psychology horror thriller. Prashanth looks matured and executes his part well. His is the soothing presence in the nerve-wracking scenes at the beginning of the film. Meena has given a mind-blowing act that actually saves the film to a very large extent. It released with positive reviews.^[22] In mid-2005, he began filming for A. Venkatesh's Petrol but the shoot was delayed.^[23][24]Aayudham (2005) a action film and London (2005), a comedy drama followed. Two averages films.^[25][26]

Jambhavan, which released in September 2006, had gone through production hassles. The film opened to negative reviews and became a failure commercially.^[27] Debutant director Bhuvanaraja's Adaikalam (2006), a family drama had been completed the previous year. Of his performance in the film, Indiaglitz stated "as a brother and a bitter son, Prashanth has churned out what is arguably one of his better performances till date."^[28][29] His final release of the year was Shiva Shanmugam's Thagapansamy (2006) which featured Prashanth in the role of a village do-gooder. Sify.com remarked "watch the film for the one-man-show of Prashanth, as he is the only silver lining in a film with a confused and confounded plot".^[30]

2011-2015: Setback

Prashanth had no film releases between January 2007 and April 2011, but was involved in the production of two heavily delayed productions during the period - Ponnar Shankar (2011) and Mambattiyan (2011). Prashanth also invested in business opportunities, opening a 12-floor jewellery store in T Nagar, Chennai in 2008.^[31]Pulan Visaranai 2 (2015), action film directed by R. K. Selvamani. In December 2005, Prashanth accepted and started work in R. K. Selvamani's Pulan Visaranai II, is the sequel of Pulan Visaranai by Vijayakanth in 1990. The film's soundtrack and trailer is released in 2006. However, despite completion, the film was on hold for eight years due to the producer's financial problems, before having a limited release in 2015.^[32] Furthermore, Ramesh Selvan's action film Runway was launched amidst much publicity in April 2006 but was discontinued despite the team filming a schedule with actress Ferhana. It is a kind of thriller story. The story is about a group of people who are working in the petroleum plant were killed in an accident on a holiday, as their bus falls into a gorge. Prashanth has a good role and his introduction scene and it is similar to that of Vijayakanth’s. The film was an average hit at the box office.^[33]

2016-present

Prashanth returns in after many years in cinema. It stars in the action comedy film, Saagasam (2016). The film is a remake of the 2012 Telugu film Julai (2012). The outstanding factor about Saagasam is Thaman’s pulsating BGM and peppy songs. Although the songs are speed breakers, the choreography and beats are enjoyable.
Overall, Saagasam might attract audiences who love Telugu commercial entertainers but for others, it’s just another average entertainer.^[34] The next film was Johnny (2018) directed by Vetri Selvan, has Prashanth playing a business analyst and Sanchitha Shetty playing his romantic interest.^[35] Prashanth's father Thiagarajan has produced the film which which has been directed by debutant P. Vetri Selvan. The movie is a remake of the Hindi film Johnny Gaddaar starring Neil Nitin Mukesh in the lead.^[36]Johnny was an average hit from the film critics and audience.^[37] The next film is Vinaya Vidheya Rama, co-starring with Ram Charan. The film was a comeback for Prashanth in Telugu after 25 years in which his last film in 1993 was Tholi Muddhu.^[38]

Awards

• 
  Cinema Express Awards for Best New Appearance award of year – Vaigasi Poranthachu (1990)


• 
  Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut – South – Vaigasi Poranthachu (1990)


• Roja Magazine for Best Actor award of year (1992)


• 
  Kalaimamani Award (1998)

Filmography

References

External links

• 
  Prashanth on IMDb